Fastener for securing jewelry item

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a fastener for securing a jewelry item to an article. The fastener includes a plate and a guide member. The plate includes a first face, a second face opposite to the first face and a groove extending up to a predetermined distance from the first face towards the second face. The groove is configured to receive a pin of the jewelry item for securing the jewelry item to the plate. The groove includes a first portion and a second portion extending from the first portion. The first portion of the groove is flared. The guide member is disposed on the first portion of the groove. The guide member is configured to guide the pin of the jewelry item towards the second portion of the groove.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present invention claims priority under 35 United States Code, Section 119 on the U.S. Provisional Patent Application numbered 60/033,565 filed on Mar. 4, 2008, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to jewelry, and, more particularly, to a fastener for securing jewelry items, such as earrings, stickpins, hatpins and broach pins to an article, such as an apparel, a curtain, a bag, a cap, a hat, and the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The use of jewelry items such as earrings, stickpins, hatpins and broach pins for self-adornment is well known in art. The fascination of people with jewelry has led to experimentation for using a single jewelry item for different purposes. One such jewelry item includes a pair of earrings to be worn in pierced ears of a user. Typically, the earrings include a decorative object, such as a precious stone, a gold item or a silver item, mounted on a thin rod or a pin. The configuration of the rod or the pin is such that the rod or the pin may easily pass through the pierced ears of the user. After passing the pin or the rod through the pierced ears of the user, a post is secured to the rod or the pin to prevent the earring from moving or slipping out of the pierced ear.

However, sometimes people may accidentally lose one of the earrings and as a result the other earring becomes unusable for them. This may inspire people to experiment with the unusable earring. For example, the unusable earring may be utilized by people for improving an aesthetic look of their articles, such as an apparel, a curtain, a bag, a cap, a hat, and the like, by securing the earring to the articles. However, the sharp end of the pin or the rod of the earring may contact the skin of a user of the articles, thereby making the experience uncomfortable and dangerous.

Accordingly, based on the foregoing, there exists a need for a fastener for a jewelry item, such as an earring, which is capable of securing the jewelry item to an article without causing discomfort and inconvenience to a user. Further, there is a need for a fastener which is compact and lightweight.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the prior art, the general purpose of the present invention is to provide a fastener for securing a jewelry item that is configured to include all the advantages of the prior art, and to overcome the drawbacks inherent therein.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a fastener for securing a jewelry item, such as an earring, to an article of use without causing discomfort and inconvenience to a user of the article.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a fastener for securing a jewelry item, such as an earring, which is compact and lightweight.

In light of the above objects, a fastener for securing a jewelry item to an article is disclosed. The fastener includes a plate and a guide member. The plate includes a first face, a second face opposite to the first face and a groove extending up to a predetermined distance from the first face towards the second face. The groove is configured to receive a pin of the jewelry item for securing the jewelry item to the plate. The groove includes a first portion and a second portion extending from the first portion. The first portion of the groove is flared. The guide member is disposed on the first portion of the groove. The guide member is configured to guide the pin of the jewelry item towards the second portion of the groove.

In another aspect of the present invention, the groove is configured in a substantially central portion of the plate.

These together with other aspects of the present invention, along with the various features of novelty that characterize the present invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed hereto and form a part of this present invention. For a better understanding of the present invention, its operating advantages, and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The advantages and features of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates an environment of a fastener for securing jewelry item to an article, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the description.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The exemplary embodiments described herein detail for illustrative purposes are subject to many variations in structure and design. It should be emphasized, however, that the present invention is not limited to a particular fastener for securing jewelry item as shown and described. It is understood that various omissions and substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstances may suggest or render expedient, but these are intended to cover the application or implementation without departing from the spirit or scope of the claims of the present invention.

The terms “first,” “second,” and the like, herein do not denote any order, quantity, or importance, but rather are used to distinguish one element from another, and the terms “a” and “an” herein do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced item.

The present invention provides a fastener for securing a jewelry item to an article. The term “jewelry item” as used herein, refers to at least one of an earring, a stickpin, a hatpin, a broach pin and the like. The term “article” as used herein, refers to at least one of an apparel, a curtain, a bag, a cap, a hat, and the like. Further, the fastener for securing jewelry item of the present invention may be useful for securing an earring to an ear of a user.

Referring to FIG. 1, a fastener, such as a fastener 100 for securing a jewelry item such as a jewelry item 200 to an article such as an article 300, is illustrated. As disclosed herein, the fastener 100 includes a plate 102 having a first face 104, a second face 106 opposite to the first face 104. In the present embodiment, the plate 102 is described to assume a disc-like structure. However, it will be understood that the plate 102 is not limited to specific configuration shown and described herein. The plate 102 may be configured in various other shapes such as but not limited to an oval shape, a rectangular shape, a polygonal shape, and the like. In the present embodiment, the plate 102 may have a diameter of about three-fourth of an inch and a thickness of about one-fourth of an inch. The plate 102 may be provided in various colors, including but not limited to metallic colors such as golden color, silver color, and the like for enhancing the aesthetic look of the plate 102. The plate 102 may be configured to assume a compact structure so as to be easily secured with the article 300 without any inconvenience to the user. The plate 102 may be composed of various light weight and elastic materials such as a rubber material. However, it will be apparent to a person skilled in the art that other suitable materials, such as plastic, silicone, wood, metal and the like, may also be used for configuring the plate 102. Moreover, the plate 102 may be configured with sufficient thickness to accommodate a pin 202 of the jewelry item 200 therein.

Further, the plate 102 includes a groove 108 extending up to a predetermined distance from the first face 104 to the second face 106. The groove 108 may be configured to receive the pin 202 of the jewelry item 200 for securing the jewelry item 200 to the article 300. As illustrated and described herein, the jewelry item 200 may be any conventional jewelry item such as an earring, a stickpin, a hatpin, and the like, having the pin 202 disposed in a plane substantially perpendicular to a back surface 204 of the jewelry item 200.

The groove 108 extends up to the predetermined distance from the first face 104 towards the second face 106 based on a length of the pin such as the pin 202 of the jewelry item 200. The predetermined length of the groove 108 is sufficiently large to accommodate the length of the pin 202, so that an edge of the pin 202 may not pierce out of the second face 106 of the plate 102. In one embodiment of the present invention, the groove 108 is configured in a substantially central portion of the plate 102.

The groove 108 includes a first portion 110, and a second portion 112 extending from the first portion 110. The first portion 110 of the groove 108 may be flared, thereby providing a wider opening for conveniently receiving the pin 202 of the jewelry item 200. More specifically, the wider opening offered by the first portion 110 allows for accommodating a distal end portion such as a distal end portion 206 of the pin 202 in the groove 108. In one embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the first portion 110 and the second portion 112 is internally threaded for firmly securing a threaded pin of the jewelry item 200 to the article 300. In another embodiment of the present invention, the at least one of the first portion 110 and the second portion 112 secures the pin 202 of the jewelry item 200 to the article 300, by means of friction between an outer surface of the pin 202 and an inner surface of the at least one of the first portion 110 and the second portion 112.

The fastener 100 further includes a guide member 114 disposed on the first portion 110 of the groove 108. The guide member 114 may be configured to guide the pin 202 of the jewelry item 200 towards the second portion 112 of the groove 108. The pin 202 of the jewelry item 200 may be received within the guide member 114. Accordingly, the guide member 114 may be composed of a hard material, such as but not limited to a metal, which prevents piercing of the pin 202 of the jewelry item 200 into the fastener 100. However, it will be apparent to a person skilled in the art that other suitable material, such as plastic, wood and the like may also be used for configuring the guide member 114. The guide member 114 may be configured of a shape similar to the first portion 110 of the groove 108. In one embodiment of the present invention, the guide member 114 is configured of a conical shape for allowing the pin 202 of the jewelry item 200 to be easily received in the guide member 114.

In use, a jewelry item such as the jewelry item 200 may be pierced and attached to a desired portion of an article such as the article 300 for enhancing the aesthetic appeal of the article 300. For example, the jewelry item 200 such as an earring may be attached to the article 300 such as a clothing garment by means of the fastener 100, disclosed herein, for adorning the clothing garment. More specifically, the pin 202 of the jewelry item 200 may be pierced through the article 300 and thereafter the fastener 100 may be secured to the pin 202 of the jewelry item 200, such that the pin 202 may be received in the guide member 114 and subsequently within the groove 108. Accordingly, the jewelry item 200 may be securely gripped onto the article 300, thereby holding the jewelry item 200 firmly thereon. The fastener 100 prevents the sharp end of the pin 202 of the jewelry item 200 from contacting the skin of the user, thereby avoiding any discomfort or inconvenience to the user.

Various embodiments of the present invention offer following advantages. The fastener for securing jewelry item (hereinafter referred to as “fastener”), as described herein, is capable of securing a jewelry item to an article of use without causing discomfort and inconvenience to the user. Further, the fastener disclosed herein is compact and lightweight. Furthermore, the fastener is simple in structure and easy to assemble with the jewelry item. Moreover, the fastener for securing jewelry item has low production cost because of the easily available materials used for the construction thereof.

The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the present invention and its practical application, and to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the present invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is understood that various omissions and substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstances may suggest or render expedient, but such omissions and substitutions are intended to cover the application or implementation without departing from the spirit or scope of the claims of the present invention. 

1. A fastener for securing a jewelry item to an article, the fastener comprising: a plate comprising a first face, a second face opposite to the first face, and a groove extending up to a predetermined distance from the first face towards the second face, the groove configured to receive a pin of the jewelry item for securing the jewelry item to the plate, the groove comprising a first portion and a second portion extending from the first portion; and a guide member disposed on the first portion of the groove, the guide member configured to guide the pin of the jewelry item towards the second portion of the groove, wherein the first portion of the groove is flared.
 2. The fastener of claim 1, wherein the plate is composed of a rubber material.
 3. The fastener of claim 1, wherein the groove is configured in a substantially central portion of the plate.
 4. The fastener of claim 1, wherein the guide member is composed of a metal. 